


Consecrated to Me

by Yitzock



Category: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (TV)
Genre: Commitment, F/F, I know technically Jewish weddings don't always have vows, Long-Term Relationship(s), Post-Canon, Rings, Romantic Friendship, Wedding Fluff, and it's not a legally sanctioned wedding because that didn't exist at the time, but they're married by the end of this, wedding vows
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-31
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-26 23:47:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21877600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yitzock/pseuds/Yitzock
Summary: After years of building Midge's career together, and with both of them getting older, Midge and Susie make plain their love and commitment to each other on the night The Gaslight Cafe closes. [Rated T for language, but if you watch the show it won't be any heavier than what you've already heard.]
Relationships: Miriam "Midge" Maisel/Susie Myerson
Comments: 2
Kudos: 40





	Consecrated to Me

**Author's Note:**

> While this story does not contain a formal wedding, nor does anybody claim it to be, I did look up some information about Jewish weddings to try and make this accurate to the real ceremony the characters would have in mind while doing this. I'm not Jewish, so I hope I am able to do this enough justice for the purposes of this fic.

New York City, 1967

Midge had tried to keep it light at first. It may have been her last performance she would ever give at The Gaslight - it was the last night anyone would ever perform there - but she was known for her comedy, so she was determined to make everyone laugh. The crowd of people who knew her reminded her of the crowd, gathered here for a different comedian, on a night at the beginning of her career, so when she reached the end of her performance, she was sure to mention it.

"There are two people to whom I owe my success," Midge said, taking down the volume of her voice a little and placing the microphone back on its stand. "One is the great comedian Lenny Bruce, a very dear friend of mine. We bonded over bailing each other out of jail, if you can believe it. After some convincing from my long-suffering manager Susie Myerson, he did a gig here so that I could grow an audience and make the right impression. Things only grew from there, and I will always be thankful for what he did for me. Miss you, Lenny." A whoop erupted from a few audience members at the mention of the late comedian's name.

"But the person I owe the most to, who I've already mentioned, is my best friend and manager Susie Myerson." Midge gestured to where Susie was standing in her usual seat by the bar. The audience members turned towards her and gave her a hand. It was a much better response than that first time she mentioned her name while performing here. "Susie saw potential in me at a time in my life when I saw none and didn't know what to do, when my life had completely lost its direction. She pulled me out of those depths and was always my advocate. She's fought for every gig - and it really was a fight in those early days. She had to bribe Lenny Bruce, after all. She also knows how to dish out the criticism, and taught me the brutal lesson about what it's like to bomb at early gigs. Not that our disagreements ended there - oh, the stories I could tell about the first time we toured together, or even the one after that. There were times when I've treated her like shit, times when we've both made grave mistakes. But we always come back around, thank god."

Midge looked across the room at Susie. Through the haziness of the air and the glare of the spotlight, she thought she saw her friend discreetly wipe a tear from her eye.

"I'm so grateful for her being here, for where she's gotten me. This place is so full of memories, it's hard to see it go. For one last time here at The Gaslight; my name is Mrs. Maisel. Thank you and good night."

The crowd applauded and Midge took a bow, another when the clapping continued. Even after she walked off the stage, it didn't die down until she was all the way at the other end of the club, when there was no longer any possibility of her walking back up there. After the applause finally faded away, the next performer was introduced. In accordance with the history of The Gaslight as a venue for both established and new performers, a young and as-yet-unknown young woman stepped onstage with a friend on acoustic guitar and began a soulful rendition of a Beatles song.

"Even after all those ritzy gigs, you can still handle a place like this, kid," Susie said after Midge sat down at the bar, tapping her shoulder and handing her a drink. 

"You really think I can still pass for a kid?"

"You're still younger than I am."

"Well, I always will be," Midge volleyed back.

"Fuckin' math professor over here!"

"Actually, that was my father."

"Touchée. God rest his soul."

"He's not dead yet, Susie." There was a time when he thought he would not have made it this far, but things had worked out. Midge couldn't see him leaving the face of the earth for a long time yet.

"Good to know."

Midge looked at Susie, still thinking about how long they had been working together, how long it had been since they first met in this place. Had it really been nine years? She raised her glass. "To The Gaslight."

"To the Gaslight," Susie concurred. They clinked their glasses.

Where had the time gone?

* * *

After closing the cafe for one last time, the two of them went to Susie's apartment. She had upgraded from her old digs some years previously. She had proper rooms now instead of just one all-encompassing kitchen-bedroom-bathroom. This new apartment was still fairly utilitarian in its contents, but it was _nice._ It had hot running water. She even had a proper bed that didn't have to be folded up in the morning. It wasn't as lavish as Midge always dreamed Susie would one day have, but she supposed she often was a bit idealistic in her projections. Susie wouldn't want anything so extravagant.

"God, I am _so_ tired!" Susie exclaimed as she flopped down onto her bed. "I thought I could still do this late-night thing!"

"You held up very well," Midge reassured her, sitting on the edge of the bed next to her. The grey that now streaked Susie's hair glinted in the light of the bedside lamp. "You really should take off your nice suit first, though."

"Okay, _Mom,_ " Susie said in mock annoyance, followed by a chuckle, as she hoisted herself out of bed and went over to her closet to hang up her prized suit jacket and slacks. She had made no bones about it in the past that together they were the most expensive articles of clothing she had ever owned.

While Susie did this, Midge wandered around the room absentmindedly. That was when she noticed the little box sitting atop the dresser. It looked familiar to Midge, but she didn't immediately remember why. It was a jewelry box, but Susie was never one for jewelry. Unable to resist, Midge picked it up and opened it.

"What are you looking at?" Susie asked when she re-emerged from the closet in her shirtsleeves. Midge turned to face Susie and her eyes were glassy with tears.

"What's wrong?" Susie asked, confused by what happened in her short time looking away and concerned about why Midge suddenly seemed so sad.

"I...I didn't know you still had this," Midge said quietly, practically whispering.

"It was a gift from you," Susie said as she walked towards Midge. "Of course I still have it." She spoke as if it was some obvious fact, even though Midge did not seem to expect it to be so.

"I've never seen you wear it," Midge explained. "You didn't even unwrap it in front of me. I thought maybe you pawned it or something when you were tight for cash."

"I still have that phone from nine years ago because I bought it when I started being your manager. If I'm hanging on to that old fucking thing, of course I'm going to keep the ring you gave me."

"Then why did you never wear it?"

"I've slipped in on my finger lots of times, alone at home, or held it when I was flying to New York and you weren't there next to me. I don't know, it just never seemed right to wear it in public, even though I wanted to and had thought about it. Like putting on a wedding ring when you're not actually married."

The idea appeared in Midge's mind in absolute clarity the moment the words left Susie's mouth.

"Then we should get married," Midge said plainly.

"What?" 

"We've known each other for so long and we're both not as young as we used to be," Midge continued. "We should do it now and stop wasting time."

"Did someone slip you something funky at the club?" Susie asks, but her voice had softened, like she was putting the pieces together.

Midge closed the space between the two of them and gazed downwards into Susie's eyes, cupping her cheek with her free hand.

"I'm your number one, aren't I?" she said quietly.

"Yeah," Susie replied quietly, returning her gaze. "Always will be." For a moment she looked like she could cry, the enormity of the passage of time hitting her, but then she shook her head and laughed softly. "We couldn't ever get married. And even if we could, we've got no witnesses, no rabbi."

"I'll be right back," Midge said, before scurrying out of the room. Susie heard rummaging in the kitchen, the opening and closing of cupboards. When Midge reappeared, she carried a tray stacked with cups, a bottle of wine, and an empty glass. She put the tray down on the top of the dresser, next to the ring box, then placed each coffee cup rim down. She put a small juice glass on top of each of them, like hats. 

"There," Midge said, gesturing to them. "Here's our rabbi and our witnesses."

"You're crazy," Susie chuckled. "But I've stuck around long enough to like that about you."

"Mutual," Midge said, before pouring a bit of wine into the glass. She put it down, then turned to the bed. "Let's get the sheet off."

Together they struggled to un-make the bed, taking off the white sheet and leaving the rest of the bedding strewn across the mattress. Midge took the ring box and handed Susie the glass of wine. They stood face to face with the sheet over their heads.

"Why'd you give _me_ the glass?" Susie complained. "I'm going to spill this shit all over the clean sheet."

" _Language_ , Susie Myerson! This is a solemn ceremony!" she reprimanded, before adding, softer, "Just be careful."

Once they were steadied, their bodies acting like supports for their makeshift canopy, Midge bowed her head and closed her eyes.

"Now the rabbi will recite the blessing," she explained.

They stood in silence for a few moments.

"Someone should tell the rabbi to speak up," Susie said. Midge tried to resist laughing, as if that was the silliest thing she could do at this point. When she thought they had waited long enough, Midge indicated to Susie to sip the wine. When she had done this, she held the glass out to Midge, who also sipped. Midge then took the ring out of the ring box. 

Midge took Susie's hand and guided the ring over her finger. It fit her perfectly. 

"With this ring, you are consecrated to me according to the law of Moses and Israel," Midge said quietly. "I promise to continue to be here for you, Susie, and to be the best comic I can be to honour the work you do."

"I promise to continue calling you on your bullshit," Susie replied. "Now what?"

"The blessings," Midge said. "The honorees usually do it, but they will let us speak for them."

"The rabbi spoke for himself."

"He's the _rabbi_ , Susie, he's special."

"Such a devout girl," Susie teased.

"I'll bless the wine, then I'll say three more and you'll say three."

"Sounds like a deal. Slightly unfair, but a deal."

Midge thought for a moment, realizing she wasn't sure exactly what words to use for blessing the wine. She hadn't exactly been to many weddings, and her own (well, the one that was conducted properly) was over a decade ago. She decided to go for the simple approach. 

"I bless this wine. I bless Susie's apartment, may it provide her with warmth and shelter for many years to come. Bless the building formerly known as the Gaslight Cafe, for bringing us together."

"Such traditional verbiage," Susie joked.

"Bless my love for Susie, undying and eternal."

"Shit, that got serious just now." 

"Okay, your turn," Midge said, watching Susie intently.

"Bless Miriam, and please don't let her kill me. Bless my bank account, keep the money in it safe so that our careers don't tank." She paused for a moment, looking into Midge's eyes. "Bless my love for Miriam, that it has not missed its chance to be realized."

Midge felt her eyes beginning to become wet again, but she used all her resolve to keep the tears from falling, though she was touched by Susie's words - they were unlike any she had heard from Susie before. She took the glass of wine in her lips again, and then let Susie have the last of it. Midge pulled a large napkin out of her pocket and gave it to Susie to wrap the glass. 

"Do you want to do it?" Midge asked. "You're probably the closest to a husband in this relationship." 

"You gave me the ring," Susie disagreed. "You're the husband in this ceremony."

Susie put the wrapped glass on the floor under Midge's lifted right foot. Midge took Susie's hands and looked into her eyes, a smile across her lips, before stomping down hard.

"Mazel Tov!" she exclaimed, turning her face to the air and promptly getting a mouthful of bedsheet. She tossed the sheet aside, out of her face.

"I love you," she said, finally letting those words be free from the secret-keeping of her heart. She pulled Susie into her arms and kissed her, trying to distill all the love she had been holding back into these few seconds. She felt Susie kissing back, no doubt trying to do the same. The message rang loud and clear. 

She remembered everything they'd been through, all the conflicts, bad gigs, good gigs, everything they'd learned and shared together. Their love had endured longer than any other Midge had had, outside of her family. It was different than anything else. With Joel, it had been a ticket to a stable life with kids, a young love that relied on sex and newness to keep it going in the beginning, and then on familiarity. It wasn't like this with Susie; their love was based on mutual respect, trust, and ambition, on supporting the other person even when it was difficult, about mutual affection instead of satiating some carnal, physical need. Yet, she could think of no other description of it than being in love. The two of them, even in their differences, felt more on the same level than any other person in her life. She wished she had realized this sooner and said something about it. But at least they had this night, and all the nights that would come after it.

When they pulled apart, she looked at the ring on Susie's finger.

"I knew silver was the right colour for you," she said happily.

"Miriam, everything you've ever given me has been right."


End file.
